Renegades
by FearlessinBlue
Summary: Buster Moon has assembled his crack team of elite agents and Operation S.I.N.G. is under way. As they struggle to take down a criminal banking ring the team faces threats from the criminal underworld and within. In order to save the innocent people at risk they must bare their souls, share their secrets, find themselves and truly become a team.
1. The Name's Moon, Buster Moon

He was late. Of course.

Buster Moon's rusty MoPed puttered pitifully as he pushed the ancient engine to its limit, speeding through the streets of the buzzing metropolis. The old machine was a faded red color and in some places the paint had chipped away completely to reveal patches of rust. It looked like Buster had pulled the poor thing out of its grave. Despite the condition of his ride, Buster weaved in and out of stopped cars like he was riding a Ducati. A chorus of honks and angry yells greeted his bold navigation as frustrated drivers expressed their displeasure. Buster ignored all of this as he left the downtown area of the city and headed into an older district filled with old buildings and crumbling testaments to the poverty of the area. He screeched to a stop in front of a condemned theatre and hopped off of his MoPed. Humming happily he hurried down an alley on one side of the building until he had reached the back of the building. He parked his bike in the dirt, careful to avoid the pieces of broken glass and trash that littered the area. Satisfied that his vehicle was relatively safe, he removed his old motorcycle goggles to reveal wide grey-blue eyes and ruffled gray locks that parted down the middle and fell in his face slightly. He brushed imaginary dust off of his favorite blue suit and straightened his red bow tie. Once he was satisfied that he looked impeccable he strolled over to the back door and reached for the grubby handle.

He groaned when the handle held fast, the lock preventing him from budging the huge metal door. He groaned in frustration and rested his forehead on the door as he counted to ten slowly. Once he was calm his lips pulled into a slightly forced grin and he knocked three times on the door. A familiar voice called out from the other side.

"What?! Who's there?!" Buster's grin strained slightly when he realized that his morning was starting to spiral just a little bit further. It was never a good thing for him to hear that squawking, raspy voice first thing in the morning. It always meant trouble.

"Miss Crawly? It's me let me in." He jiggled the door handle once more but it still refused to give.

There was a brief silence as the woman on the other side of the door tried to puzzle out who exactly was on the other side of the door, "What's the password?" She suddenly demanded and Buster had to physically stop himself from pulling out his hair. Instead he settled for clenching his teeth and trying to reason with the woman on the other side of the door.

"Miss Crawly. We don't have a password." There was another long silence and when the voice returned this time it was more confused than firm.

"Well that doesn't seem very safe... how I am supposed to know that you aren't an enemy?" Buster's fists clenched at his sides and he took ten more calming breaths before he replied.

"Please?" He tried but he was immediately interrupted by Miss Crawly's triumphant voice.

"Hah! Wrong!" She went silent and Buster paced over to his MoPed and then back to the door in an effort to work off even a smidge of the tension that was building in his shoulders. Miss Crawly would be the death of him, it was an absolute fact. But today was too important for him to fall prey to the heart attack that was his secretary. He gave it another minute and then knocked on the door once more, his false cheer in full force.

"Miss Crawly it's your boss, Buster Moon? Will you please let me in?" He waited with bated breath for some kind of response and almost immediately the door was wrenched open to reveal an old women who was even shorter than him. She was wearing a garish orange jumpsuit that unfortunately clung to her body's every curve. Once upon a time it may have been a sight to see, but at this point her body was hunched slightly and her skin was covered in wrinkles. Buster had grown used to her wardrobe of obnoxious jumpsuits in the years that she had worked for him so he didn't even spare her a second glance.

He bustled into the crumbling entrance, Miss Crawly hot on his heels. They picked their way through the debris until they arrived in an area that used to be back stage. Buster hopped down the short set of stairs that led to

Buster cleared his throat and placed his hand on the scan pad as he spoke his chosen phrase into the microphone, "Rock bottom."

They were bathed in green light as his identity was verified and the elevator smoothly sailed down into their hidden fortress. Buster whistled quietly in an effort to break the all-consuming silence that encompassed the elevator. Miss Crawly just adjusted her glass eye so that it was facing outward. Buster rolled his eyes and raised the volume of his whistling nervously.

Just when the ride was starting to seem unbearably long the elevator doors slid open to reveal a long hallway ending in one solid grey door. Buster briskly walked down the hall, the clacking of his dress shoes echoing loudly around them. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out four folders from the bottom of his briefcase. His fingers danced over a fifth one, thick with paper and information, but he shook his head and left it in his bag. He then handed the bag to Miss Crawly who cradled it in her arms as she hurried to keep up with his pace.

"Are they all here?" He asked absentmindedly as he double-checked the names on the folders.

"Oh! Uh yes sir." Miss Crawly said as she fumbled with his briefcase before gaining control once more.

"Good. Very good." He mumbled to himself and when they reached the door he grabbed the handle and stood there for a second. Miss Crawly watched as he rolled his shoulders and shook himself out so that his body wasn't tense.

"Show time." With that he wrenched the door open and strutted in, Miss Crawly stumbling behind him.

Upon their entrance the five people that had been milling about impatiently turned all attention to Buster. Buster was wearing a welcoming smile as he gestured for them to take their seats in the small metal chairs that were waiting for them in the center of the room. Once everyone had made their way over to the chairs Buster began his opening speech. He had been practicing this speech in the mirror for weeks like a true showman.

"I would like to welcome all of you to Operation S.I.N.G. You have been hand picked for this operation because you are the best in your field, and because you have potential." He paused for effect and then carefully began pacing in front of the chairs. He had memorized the layout of the room days ago and as a result his carefully planned choreography went off without a hitch. Their eyes followed his every movement until he stopped in front of his first agent.

He flipped open his file as he examined the sweet woman that sat daintily on the chair in front of him. She had short blonde hair that she kept nervously trying to tuck behind her ear. She was wearing a pink button up and a pair of mom jeans that hugged her curvy figure just enough to be appropriate. She was clutching a yellow handbag close to her chest and her cheeks colored when Buster looked up at her with his piercing grey-blue eyes.

"Rosita Tenny." She nodded needlessly as if confirming to everyone that that was indeed her, "Excellent engineer, accomplished mechanic, with a history of brawling in the garage." He raised an eyebrow questioningly and Rosita's pale, freckled skin turned cherry-red.

"I-it was a um...oh dear it was a little m-misunderstanding." She sputtered and Buster had to hide the small that desperately wanted to come out behind his mask of impassivity. He couldn't lose character so early in the game. He had to earn their respect first.

"It says here that you bludgeoned a man with a wrench for, and I quote, 'touching your fucking tools'." Rosita turned impossibly redder and gasped slightly when Buster let the curse word loose. She glanced over at the other agents who were looking at her in awe and shock. She wrung her hands and shifted in her seat before offering up a feeble explanation.

"They're very... sensitive?" It came out like a question and Buster stared up at her for a moment before closing her folder and turning towards his next victim. Behind him Rosita sighed in relief and relaxed her death grip on her bright yellow purse.

A pudgy blonde man decked out in a gold sequined sweat suit was eagerly bouncing in his chair, his smile so large that it made Buster's cheek twinge with sympathy. His long blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and his aqua colored eyes practically glittered with excitement. Buster was put off for a second before he cleared his throat and opened the next folder.

"Gunter" Buster held the name, proud of himself for pronouncing it correctly after all of the practice he put in. "No last name?"

"Ya! I am like zee famous Cher!" Buster smirked and looked down at his notes.

"On loan from the German Intelligence Service... for an undetermined amount of time. Interesting."

"I am on unt vacation." Gunter proclaimed proudly and Buster just stared at the man in amusement.

"Ah...yes. Former race car driver, banned from every track in Europe and parts of Asia, and you have totaled 37 agency vehicles." Gunter just nodded proudly and gave his fellow agents an exuberant thumbs up.

"And... I'm sorry what is dance-fu?" Buster had been puzzling over this concept for months but the Internet had nothing to offer and no one else in the agency was familiar with it.

"Oh! Da! Zat is ein deadly compinazion of martial arts und dance." He emphasized the word dance with a roll of his body and an impossibly larger grin that made Buster smile slightly. He shook his head and pointed his pen tip at the exuberant man.

"That's… nice. Well, welcome to the team." With that he moved on to the next chair where a girl was sitting slumped in the metal chair, her arms crossed over he chest and her eyes narrowed in boredom. Before Buster could say anything she blew a pink bubble with her gum and popped it loudly. Buster didn't even flinch as he opened her file and scanned the information, making a show of reading it so that they didn't know that he had actually memorized every word.

"Ashley Fitch." He started with her name just like everyone else but the girl leaned forward, a dark look in her eyes, and interrupted him.

"Ash. My name is Ash." She spat out and Buster raised an eyebrow questioningly before returning to her file.

"Ash Fitch." The girl was the picture of rebellious teen in her twenties. She had a head full of dreadlocks that were bleached in places to give them a ringed lock. She was wearing a black and white sweater covered in holes, a red plaid skirt, and dark grey leggings. Her eyes were rimmed with dark makeup making her tan skin paler than it actually was.

"Demolitions and weapons expert, top of your class at the academy, but a severe problem with authority." Buster wasn't fazed when she gave him a sneer and rolled her eyes as he read off her credentials, "In your time with the agency you have been transferred off of six different units and written up for insubordination 52 times."

Buster whistled and then gave the gloomy girl a cheerful smile, "We're going to get along famously." He winked and Ash snarled in response. He ignored her response and moved on to the last chair.

It was occupied by a tall young man with deep tan skin. His unruly dark hair was spiked up on top of his head and stubble speckled his face. His handsome face was tight with nerves but his body was relaxed back against the chair, almost sprawled in it.

"Johnathan Bannerton." Johnny nodded and fiddled with his leather jacket as Buster examined him for a long time, "Expert martial artist and top field agent in your sector. Son of Marcus 'Big Daddy' Bannerton, notorious mobster." Johnny looked away in shame, his knee bouncing slightly as her nerves became more apparent. Johnny said nothing and buster didn't push as he closed the folder and walked back to the door, opening it and gesturing for all of them to follow.

The group got up out of their seats and hurried after him, whispering quietly behind his back as they walked. When they reached the elevator, Buster pressed the button to summon it. He turned around to look at the group, Ash spoke up , her hands shoved deep in her pockets.

"And who the hell are you?" She smirked and Buster cheered inwardly. He had been saving this line for a special occasion and now he would finally have a chance to use it.

"The name's Buster…Buster Moon." Right on time the elevator arrived and he dramatically stepped in. Ash shuffled in with everyone else but as the door closed she snorted out a laugh and whispered under her breath.

"Ya big dork."


	2. My Way

The elevator descended a few floors until it hit B5 and the doors slid open to reveal a room completely different from the one before. The space was wide open, taking up space equivalent to an aircraft hangar. In the center there was a wide platform with steps leading up to it. Buster avoided stepping into it but gestured to it as the motley group walked past. It felt vaguely like they were tourists touring a museum.

Buster led them into one of the closed off areas and suddenly they were in an observation box, staring at a dark room. Buster snapped his fingers and the lights cam on to reveal that the room was littered with high tech laser beams that washed over the space.

"This is the Combat simulator where the computer generates holographic opponents for you to battle. There are ten levels of difficulty but until you're fully trained you will only have access to level 5 at the highest." He smiled plesantly and pressed a few buttons on a control panel, prompting the computer to form a holographic form that dashed around the compound, leaping and spinning off of walls and boxes of various sizes that rose up from the floor.

"The course is dynamic and the environment around you will change as you fight, much like in the real world. Isn't it fantastic?" He asked excitedly and turned around to take in their expressions. Rosita was looking at the machine in wonder and her fingers twitched slightly at her side as if they ached to take apart the technical marvel. Buster made a note to lock the main control room on their way out as a precaution. Gunter looked intrigued but not particularly impressed which put a dent in Buster's pride for a second. Until he saw the look on Johnny's face. The handsome young man had a huge grin on his face as his brown eyes followed every movement of the computer simulation as if trying to memorize is pattern. Buster smirked to himself, the young man wouldn't find one, there was no pattern. Finally, Ash was staring down at her nails, still chewing that infernal piece of gum, looking thoroughly bored. Just as Buster was about to look away he caught a glimpse of something in her eye, an unreadable emotion that set him slightly on edge. It would be a challenge to find out what was going on inside this girl's head.

Deciding that they had seen enough, Buster shut down the program and led them throughout the rest of the compound. He showed them the obstacle course, another unique marvel that he promised would change every day into a new challenge, and the exercise room which was equipped with weights and machines of every type. He was talking about the holographic satellite map that displayed their locations at any time during the mission and provided in depth access to the most advanced satellite imaging in the world when Miss Crawly appeared out of nowhere at his elbow.

"We're ready for testing sir." She said, nearly scaring Buster straight out of his suit he was so startled. He spun around, placing a hand on his chest as if trying to stop his heart from leaping out of his chest.

"Miss Crawly! I told you not to scare me like that." He scolded her and the old woman had the decency to look sheepish even though her one good eye glinted with amusement.

"Ah. Yes. Sorry sir." She said and gently took the personnel folders from him, fumbling slightly before she regained her grip and held them to her chest.

"Um... I'm sorry what testing?" Rosita piped up nervously, her yellow handbag still clutched in a death grip at her side. Buster nodded to Miss Crawly who wandered off towards the command booth as Buster wordlessly led them to the exercise room.

"I know you've all been tested by the agency but I have my own program. We will be running diagnostics on your skills and physical forms in order to determine your level of readiness on my scale." His smirk widened and for the first time the friendliness that seemed to emanate from him was less than apparent.

"What are you talking about Moony?" Ash spat out the derisive nickname with a scowl. Her arms were firmly crossed over her chest once more and her scowl was dark with anger. Everyone else seemed just as confused and frustrated and Buster found himself on the other end of their questioning glares.

"I'm talking about tests Ash. Lots of tests. We'll be running them today. All day." With that he snapped his fingers once more and Miss Crawly appeared with tech pads assigned to each agent, "Let's begin shall we?"

They were all ushered to various areas of the compound and faceless techs walked them through various tests including running on a treadmill while vitals were monitored, strength diagnostics, psych evaluations, and various technical tasks common to their specialty. Ash was tasked with assembling a bomb out of random materials and then disarming a complicated explosive all withing fifteen minutes. Rosita was given a similar task down in the garage where she was tasked with assembling various gadgets and then finding and fixing a problem in one of the many vehicles at their disposal. Gunter was led to a large area off of the side of the garage where he was tasked with driving various vehicles through an obstacle course. Johnny was being given a combat exam where he was tested in his knowledge and application of various forms of martial arts. After all of their individual testing was complete Buster brought them to the firing range area of the practice gym and they were all tested in their ability to handle firearms.

Once they were completed Buster moved the exhausted agents to the center platform where they all but collapsed onto the mat. Buster grinned when he saw their state of exhaustion, satisfied that his tests had been sufficient in actually testing their skills both mentally and physically. He held out his hand and Miss Crawly handed him the first tech pad in her stack. He scrolled through the results and then looked up at Gunter who was panting and yet still smiling hugely. He seemed to be enjoying every test, even his own exhaustion

"Gunter. You excelled on the track with smaller vehicles but I want you to continue to practice with the larger vehicles. you need to be equally proficient with them. For your position on this team that will be essential." Gunter nodded happily and then laid back on the mat to relax. Next to him Rosita was shifting uncomfortably in the tight jumpsuit that everyone had been given for the tests, mumbling about the obscene amount of skin that was being shown. Buster chuckled and traded pads with Miss Crawly so that he was holding hers.

"Rosita. Your strength tests were... eye-opening to say the least. Your devices are unique, to say the least, but I want you to further familiarize yourself with the vehicles that we use. I doubt that will be a problem." He grinned at the blushing blonde who just nodded happily and did a little celebratory dance. Buster chuckled and moved on to Johnny who was sprawled on the mat, covered in sweat and panting.

"Johnny. May I call you Johnny?" He didn't wait for a reply before hurrying on with his comments, "Your strength and martial arts skills are stellar but I want to see more development with your spontaneity in combining these techniques. I don't want you to be too predictable. Miss Crawly will give you lessons until she is satisfied. I trust her judgement implicitly." He moved onto to Ash as Johnny stared at the fragile looking woman that had been assigned to teach him mixed martial arts. She just gave him a lopsided smile and handed Buster the final pad.

"Ash." He glared at her over the pad and she returned the look, waiting for the inevitable complaints that every other supervisor had spewed out after her testing, "Your demolition expertise and marksmanship are off the charts. I am impressed. However, your refusal to engage in the psychological testing does prove a problem." Suddenly his glare melted into the sunny grin that was starting to become familiar, "We'll get there eventually."

Ash just stared up at him in shock as the compliments hit her like a truck. She wasn't used to being complimented by her superiors, rather she had braced herself for a verbal dressing-down just like every other agent she had served under. The shock was quickly replaced by suspicion as she examined the happy little man. She didn't know what his game was yet, but she would be damned if she wasn't going to find out.

"Well everyone that was a very informative first day if I do say so myself." Buster bounced on his toes cheerily and patted the pads happily. "Your results are so encouraging that I have decided that tomorrow we will run our very first test mission. I expect you all to be here at 6 am sharp to prepare. Until then you're dismissed."

They all groaned as they rose from the mat and headed towards the elevator. Buster watched them until they had disappeared into the elevator. His smile faded and he hurried towards the command room where Miss Crawly was waiting, a worried look on her face.

"I have Judith from the Director's office on line one. She wants to speak with you about the mission and the team." She announced as soon as he bustled in through the doors. Buster shed his suit jacket and glared at the phone that sat innocently at his command station.

"Tell that woman I'll have to call her back. I don't have time to listen to her prattle on about our budget and our timeline. I know. I know we don't have much time. I know they're not ready. I know I know I know." He ranted as he slumped in his chair and glanced hopefully at his email inbox. It was devoid of any new messages and the little bit of hope that had held fast in his chest since he sent out the communicae died. She wasn't going to come in voluntarily. He should have known.

He glanced at the three techs that were desperately jumping in between computers in the tech room. They were capable and intelligent but they were disorganized and needed a leader, but his expert wasn't cooperating. Time to bring in the big guns.

He grabbed the phone on his desk and took a deep, bracing breath before dialing a number that he dreaded to call. Calling her only ever meant trouble. The phone rang twice before she picked up, her tone tense and stern.

"What?" She snapped and Buster winced when he heard the anger in her voice. This was not going to be an easy sell.

"Nana!" He said, his voice dripping with false cheer, "It's so good to hear your voice darling. How are you?"

"Moon. How many times have I told you not to call this number. Go through my secretary." She hissed out and Buster's smile became more strained as he attempted to keep his cool. The woman was impossible but she was essential to his mission and his personnel problem.

"I know Nana. I know. But this is important. I need a little help." He winced when her harsh laugh echoed over the line and sent chills down his spine.

"What on this planet would make you think that I would willingly help you with anything." She asked but Buster knew that it wasn't a question. He knew that this phone call was going downhill fast. If he didn't grab her attention he might lose her completely.

"It's about Agent Jones." He said plainly and the other end of the line went silent for a second before Nana spoke once more.

"We had better be talking about Agent Jones in Accounting." She hissed out and Buster's stomach dropped to his shoes.

"No ma'am. Agent Jones from project Kindergarten." There was a barely audible growl from the other end of the line and then the clacking of a few buttons. Buster waited patiently, his foot bouncing slightly.

"You idiot. You can't speak about that project on this line." She finally replied, her tone laced with venom but Buster could detect a hint of fear in her voice.

"I don't want to talk about the project Nana. Just the agent. I want her for Operation S.I.N.G. but she is... resistant." there was another long silence and for a minute Buster thought that she might have hung up on him.

"I'll put in a transfer, she'll be there in a day. But I better not hear another word about any of this. **Any** of this. Am I understood?" She finally spoke, her voice still strained but significantly less threatening. Buster nodded to himself but realized that she couldn't see his nod over the phone.

"Yes Ma'am." With that she hung up and Buster was left staring at the papers on his desk. They were in disarray, spread about in a manner that only he could decipher. He ran a tired hand through his gray hair and let out a long sigh. He heard Miss Crawly walk over and set a cup of coffee on his desk. To his surprise it was full and prepared just how he liked it.

"Sir...?" Se asked tentatively and Buster looked over his cup at her with a raised eyebrow, "Are you sure it's a good idea to bring Agent Jones into this?"

Buster sighed, took a sip of his coffee and let out what felt like his millionth sigh of the day, "I don't know Miss Crawly, but we're out of options."


	3. Back in the Saddle

Buster didn't sleep a wink the night before a mission, whether he was on it or directing it from HQ he had always been this way. He had received a terse email at midnight detailing Agent Jones's specifications for the tech in the mission room so he had spent his sleepless night rearranging, installing and preparing everything for Agent Jones. He hadn't wanted to force the poor girl to join his operation but she was resistant and he needed her skills above anyone else's. He just hoped that she forgave him for it in the end, it was not a good idea to be on her bad side.

When the computer notified him that the other agents had arrived in the briefing room he was drinking what felt like his millionth cup of coffee. He gave the mission room a once over to make sure that everything was ready for the first operation before speed-walking through the winding hallways of the base to the briefing room.

All of the agents were there, barely concealed excitement on their faces as they discussed the prospect of their first mission. Even Ash, who was reclining in her chair, her combat boots resting boldly on the briefing table, had an excited glint in her eyes.

"Good morning everyone!" He greeted them cheerily, his smile masking the nerves that practically vibrated through his body. Their chatter died down immediately and their attention turned towards him and Miss Crawly moved around the room, passing out briefing packets and cups of coffee. Ash and Johnny snatched up their coffees like they were liquid gold while Rosita politely sipped hers.

"I'm glad you all are here today. I'm afraid this briefing is going to be decidedly low tech until our tech expert arrives. Agent Jones is the best of the best." Ash scoffed and picked at her nails.

"Obviously she's not the best at punctuality." She snarled and Buster shot her a frustrated glare.

"I'm sure that you all know this, but it's dangerous to underestimate someone in this business. Especially Agent Jones." The room went silent as his serious warning fell over the table. Buster flipped open his packet and everyone else followed suit.

"This mission is primarily to test your abilities to perform as a team under pressure. I expect that it will go off without a hitch." He took a moment to give each of them a pointed look before returning to his debriefing.

"As I'm sure you've seen in the news, the Princess of Roarssia is getting married to the Duke of Catalunya. Yesterday a faction of terrorist threatened to sabotage the wedding. Despite our warnings the princess intends to go through with the marriage. Your mission is to infiltrate the ceremony and the reception. Ensure that the happy couple get to their honeymoon unscathed." He took a breath, examining their faces for any questions before continuing on.

"Johnny. I've gotten you onto the princess's protection detail since she is the most likely target. You will be armed but if you can avoid a firefight, do so. There are to many moving parts here to risk something like that." Johnny nodded and began reading through the dossier on who he would be protecting and the potential assailants.

"Ash. You are in charge of protecting the Duke. However I want you to do so from a sniper position. I've found the perfect places for you to choose from. Do not fire unless there is no other option or I say so. You will be armed additionally in the event of a firefight, weapons of your choice." Ash grinned and leaned back in her seat once more, ignoring her dossier.

"Gunther and Rosita. I want you positioned outside of each venue providing surveillance and transportation in the event that a quick getaway is needed. You should have a planned escape route but be ready for anything, we can't control every traffic change." Rosita nodded nervously and Gunther exuberantly high-fived her, his grin wide and innocent but his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Agent Jones and I will be communicating with you from the mission room using these." He gestured to Miss Crawly who slowly began handing out his tech ear pieces to each agent.

"They do not turn off so be advised that I can hear everything that you can. This is an evaluation." He scanned his notes to make sure that he wasn't missing anything before nodding to them.

"You are dismissed to gather your gear and prepare yourselves in any way that you need. The jet leaves in an hour." When he went silent they all rose and hurried off in separate directions, chatting excitedly amongst themselves.

Buster let out a shaken breath and braced himself against the desk. He closed his eyes and stayed in that position, wrapped in silence, until Miss Crawly broke it.

"Sir...?" She asked tentatively and Buster took a moment to get her himself once more before turning to regard Miss Crawly with raised eyebrows.

"Um.. Agent Jones has arrived sir." She nervously wrung her hands and Buster felt a pang of fear mixed with relief rush through him.

"Go ahead and show her in. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting." He said absently and Miss Crawly nervously glanced behind her.

"Um actually sir she's already in the mission room." Buster's eyebrows flew impossibly higher in suprise and he quickly hopped out of his seat.

"How upset is she?" He mumbled as he hurried through the halls, Miss Crawly doing her best to keep up with him.

"Yes well... She is taking apart one of the servers." Buster increased his pace, worry now visibly showing on his face.

"And she asked for some hot chocolate." Buster broke into a sprint.

When he burst into the mission room a young woman was bent over the guts of the main server, mumbling to herself as she rewired it meticulously.

"Agent Jones." Buster said in greeting and she whipped around to look at him. She had a curvy figure, skin the color of milk chocolate and long wavy locks that were pulled back into a loose ponytail. The brilliance of her blue eyes was muddled slightly by a pair of glasses that adorned her face. Buster winced barely when he saw the hard look in those eyes.

"Buster." She finally said in a voice that was deceptively sweet and quiet. Buster cautiously made his way towards her while Miss Crawly went to make some hot chocolate.

"Meena..." he sighed, trying to find the right words to appease her, "I didn't want to do this but you gave me no choice. You are the best and this operation is critical. I need you."

Meena paused, a flash of fear making her suddenly close in on herself, "I'm only doing tech right?" She asked uncertainly and Buster sighed in relief. Her anger would fade, he was sure of it.

"Absolutely. I doubt I'll ever need to send you out into the field. Never gonna happen. Not in a million years." He assured her and the frosty attitude that had surrounded her since she laid eyes on him began to fade. They stood in silence for a moment before she let out a sigh and gave Buster a tentative smile.

"I'll do it. But only as a tech expert." Buster nodded eagerly and began to back away from the mess of wires that covered her workstation.

"Thank you Meena. You won't regret this." He practically skipped to the doors, his bad mood banished in the event of her acceptance. He made it all the way to the doors before her soft voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Buster I need you to promise me something." Buster stopped and turned to look at Meena, a pit of dread once more taking up residence in his stomach. Her face was dead serious, and the cold edge had returned to her baby blues. They were like diamonds digging into his soul and anchoring him in the open doorway.

"I need you to promise that you won't activate me." She breathed out and for a second Buster considered feigning ignorance of her 'special' circumstances but reconsidered when he looked at her once more. Her look said that she was on the cusp of leaving if he didn't answer this right, and there was no way she would have said anything if she didn't know that he knew everything.

"I promise." He said quietly and he pulled himself from his temporary paralysis and strode down the hall towards where the jet and the others were undoubtedly waiting for him.

The whole way he couldn't shake the feel of her gaze on his back nor the feeling of disaster that refused to fade.


	4. White Wedding

' _The boredom is killing me. Why are weddings so long?'_ Johnny's earpiece crackled to life, stirring him from the daze that he had fallen into. He had been vigilant until about halfway through the ceremony when the words that the priest droned out meshed together and his eyelids grew heavy.

He chuckled quietly to himself from his position and glanced up towards the balcony where he knew Ash was expertly concealed. He pressed his finger to his earpiece, feigning an important conversation.

' _Tell me abaht it. This is why I'll nevah get married.'_ He whispered and Ash immediately fired back, obviously desperate for some conversation.

' _Are you sure it's not because you can't find a willing girl?'_ She snarked but Johnny just snorted and smirked to himself.

' _Are ya kiddin' ? I've got plenty of choices.'_ He adjusted his tuxedo, knowing that Ash could see him even if he couldn't find her.

' _Believe me I know. Everyone knows about you Mr. Lady Killer. Too bad I'm immune to your charms.'_ They went silent for a second as Johnny scanned the pews, carefully examining each person for signs of an imminent attack. When he found none he returned to the conversation that was keeping him awake.

' _And 'ow exactly is tha' possible.'_ He said quietly.

' _Well most girls fall for the accent, the good looks, or the job title but me...well I was at the academy the same time you were. So I know you're just a big dork.'_ Johnny could practically hear the smirk in her tone and he frowned, his pride slightly wounded that a girl as pretty as Ash wasn't susceptible to his charms. Just as quickly, he decided that he would just have to make do with her friendship instead. His choice was proven correct when she made her next comment.

' _But I've definitely got some tips for ya.'_ And with that the deal was sealed, they were friends, partners. It probably shouldn't have been that easy but Johnny had a hard time finding anyone in the agency who wasn't interested in getting him into bed or wasn't jealous of his success. But Ash was neither attracted to him nor intimidated so it was easy for them to fall into a rapport as they weathered the longest wedding ceremony on Earth.

Finally the wedding reached its climax and the crowd perked up as the couple said their vows and leaned in for a chaste, political kiss. Johnny rolled his eyes at the way that the bride blushed and almost every woman in the chapel swooned. That is, every woman except for the Latina in his ear who was dramatically gagging. Johnny desperately held back his laughter, deciding that a smile was probably a better choice considering his position in front of the guests.

He almost jumped a foot when Buster's voice interrupted Ash's dramatics, _'Sorry to interrupt your... conversation agents but Agent Jones is going to be taking over tactical from now on so I can observe your ability to follow her directions. Please try to remember that this is still an evaluation of your skills.'_

Johnny had the decency to remain in sheepish silence but Ash was not quite so tactful, _'What gives? You're not evaluating the Almighty Agent Jones?'_ She grumbled and Johnny could practically hear the tense frustration coming from Buster's side of the comm.

 _'Agent Jones does not need to be evaluated because I have already observed her skills in the past.'_ Something about his tone shut Ash up before she could voice another protest and there was a slight beep as control was transferred from Buster to the mysterious Agent Jones.

From the way that Buster described their experience Johnny was expecting an old crone who spent her entire life behind computers, barking orders and generally being a pain in the ass of the younger agents so he was expecting the sweet, slightly tentative voice that replaced Buster.

 _'Hello Agents. I've been monitoring the cameras in the chapel as well as the banquet hall where the reception will be held and I've determined that the best point for anyone to strike would be between the two locations.'_ She was all business but Johnny could feel his inner tomcat purring at the prospect of seducing whoever was on the other side of that honey-filled voice.

 _'Agent Fitch. I've been going over the building specs for the church and I'm sending you your new position now. From there you'll be able to monitor the street and surrounding buildings for anything suspicious.'_ Ash grumbled a reluctant affirmative and the comm line was momentarily filled with the sounds of her scuffling as she moved positions.

 _'Agent Bannerton. Stick with the bride and groom and evaluate the crowd from ground level. I'll be on all traffic cams as back up but I need you to blend and give me a read.'_

Johnny felt his smile curling into the salacious smirk that usually made women weak in the knees.

 _'Roger tha' Angel.'_ He said snarkily and for a moment he was filled with satisfaction as the comm line was dominated by a startled sort of silence.

 _'W-we'll um... yes well. Where was I?'_ Agent Jones sputtered as she tried to regain control of her train of thought that he had successfully derailed.

 _'Um... I think Gunter and I were next.'_ Rosita piped up helpfully and suddenly they were serious again.

 _'Yes yes. Of course. Agent Tenny if you would please be my eyes on the street. And Agent...Gunter um I need you on standby for a quick getaway. If this goes south I need you to secure the assets and get them to the safe zone.'_

 _'Da! Ve are ready to party!'_ Gunter burst out happily and Rosita nervous laugh could be heard in the background. This time Agent Jones didn't miss a beat as she brushed off the unorthodox reply and the comms went silent as everyone held their breath in anticipation. The church was suddenly bursting with a cacophony of clapping and cheers as the couple kissed and began to make their way out of the church.

Johnny scanned the wedding party for an in and smirked to himself when he spotted a bored looking blonde draped on the arm of an equally bored groomsman. Johnny smoothly slipped in between them, breaking the groomsman's loose hold easily. The groomsman gave him a bewildered glare but Johnny just winked at the bridesmaid and began escorting her down the aisle, only one couple between them and the assets.

"Hi." His attention was momentarily drawn to the woman who was clinging tightly to his arms so that her bust was pressed alluringly against him. He spared her a charming smile and couldn't resist laying on a pick up line.

"Well 'ello there. I thought I'd better save ya before ya died of boredom eh?" She let out a high pitch giggle and gazed up at him with a classic look that let him know she was hanging on his every word. He winked at her and turned his attention back to the couple as they made their way out of the church and into the bright light of the waiting day.

Johnny blinked quickly as his eyes tried to adjust to the sudden onslaught of daylight and once his eyes adjusted his attention turned to the crowd that was eagerly waiting for them to emerge. The onlookers were a mix of strangers and family members, as expected for a celebrity event, something that only made their job more difficult. Johnny winced slightly as they came to the top of the stairs and he got a clear view of the extent of the crowd. He tried to mutter subtly into the comm, ' _Angel ya got eyes on this crowd?'_

He heard a stuttered gasp from the other end before he got a slightly less tentative reply, _'I'm um… I'm monitoring from all angles. You focus on the people closest to the assets.'_ Johnny didn't say anything as he returned to his survey of the crowd. Time seemed to slow down as the comm crackled in his ear once more and Ash's low whisper echoed in his ear.

 _'I've got a bad feeling guys.'_

That was when Johnny saw him. His clothes allowed him to blend in with the crowd but where everyone else was cheering and throwing rice, his face was impassive and the dark lenses of his sunglasses were focussed on the newlyweds. He smiled casually but every muscle in his body was tensed in anticipation.

 _'Ash. My right, sunglasses, dark coat, scar on the cheek. Ya got eyes on 'im?'_ There was a pause and up in the upper area of the choir seats Ash shifted her position so that her sights were trained on the crowd where Johnny had indicated. She scanned slowly and then stopped when she finally found the suspect.

 _'Yeah Pretty Boy I got eyes. He's mighty suspicious I'll give you that.'_ Ash watched from above as the man suddenly reached in his coat pocket and began to advance through the crowd towards the bride and groom.

 _'Johnny. He's advancing and…'_ she broke off as she watched him pull his hand out of his pocket, his fingers wrapped around, _'Gun. He's gotta gun.'_

Ash barely had the words out when suddenly a signature cracking sound echoed through the street and a burning piece of metal buried itself into her shoulder with such force that she was thrown back from the window. All she could do for the first few seconds was listen to the panic below, the noises muffled as if they were coming from far away instead of the street below her. Her shoulder let out a particularly painful throb and the jolt of agony was enough for her to center back in on the mission. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a slightly strangled gasp. Another shot rang out and she gritted her teeth so she could force the words out to her scrambling teammates.

 _'I got… another sniper…. I've been hit.'_ She gasped out before slumping back down onto the ground, trying to relieve the sudden lightness in her head. Her comm was a flurry of action as Agent Jones rapid fired orders to the rest of the team but she only heard whispers instead of commands.

Down on the street Johnny shook off his impromptu escort and grabbed the new couple by the arm, pushing forcefully through the crowd as people scattered left and right, trying to escape the invisible gunman. Gunter's black SUV screeched to a stop half on the curb in front of them and Johnny pushed the couple into the backseat just as a bullet hit the thick bulletproof glass where the Duke's head had been mere seconds before. In the same moment that Gunter tore away from the curb Rosita leapt out of the SUV with a medkit and disappeared into the crowd.

Johnny didn't have time to think about where she was headed as Agent Jones barked out instructions for him, urging him to pursue the escaping suspect. He took a step forward just as another bullet buried itself in the concrete step, missing his head by mere inches. Reflexively he ducked down, trying to avoid the sniper while he ran. He could barely see through the throng of panicked civilians, but thankfully Agent Jones was in his ear, guiding him until finally he burst from the group and onto the street.

He caught sight of the suspect jogging down the sidewalk, still trying to remain undetected, and went running, pursued only by a flurry of sniper shots that he could feel burning on his heels. He cursed aloud and looked up wildly at the buildings around him for the source of the gunfire, but the chaos masked it perfectly.

The metallic smell of blood and gentle but firm hands on her back brought Ash back from the edge of oblivion. She could hear her blood pounding angrily in her ears but it slowly faded out to be replaced by the sound of Agent Jones imploring her to answer her comm. Her vision cleared gradually and she was met with the frustrated face of Rosita Tenny as she furiously dug through the medkit with one hand and put aching pressure on her wound with the other.

 _'What?'_ Ash croaked into her comm as she gave Rosita a half-hearted glare. It went ignored so she just wriggled irritably and glanced towards where her precious rifle lay skewed carelessly on the floor.

There was a sigh of relief on the other side of the comm before Agent Jones spoke once more, _'Agent Fitch. I need you to take out the sniper. Can you do that?'_ Ash groaned and batted Rosita's hands away from her when the older woman tried to stop her from getting to her feet. Ash stubbornly pulled herself over to the window, her bad arm dangling limply at her side.

"Fuck." She muttered when pain lanced through the right side of her body like hot iron but she stubbornly ignored it in favor of propping her rifle up between her good shoulder and the window sill. Stubbornly Rosita continued to tend to her arm while she set up, muttering to her self all the while about stubborn young agents. Ash leaned her cheek into the familiar cold metal of the gun and took a deep steady breath. Her brain immediately focused in on her scope and only her scope, Rosita's firm grip and even her pain fading out until it was only her and her rifle.

 _'I'm on it.'_ She whispered and slowly scanned the rooftops, hunting for her prey. Just when the world was at its stillest and even her breathing had stopped another shot rang out and she was filled with a sense of intoxicating satisfaction.

"Gotcha ya bastard."

She breathed in, her finger pressed down on the trigger, and then with a click and a spray of blood her revenge was complete. She carefully set aside her rifle and let the world fade back in. Rosita carefully propped her up against a wall and ripped open her shirt so that she could dig out the bullet lodged in her shoulder.

"This is gonna hurt sweetheart." Rosita warned as she doused a needle with antiseptic and carefully threaded the medical stitching through it.

"Yeah yeah just get on with it." Ash rolled her eyes and Rosita chuckled.

Johnny's heart was pounding like a drum as he ran, the asphalt pounding against his feet with every step. The suspect obviously had a planned escape route and probably would have been lost to him by now if it wasn't for an Angel's voice in his ear telling him where to go. Never once in his life had Johnny been so grateful for traffic cameras. He turned a corner and found himself on a long straightaway, the suspect erratically weaving in and out of people on the sidewalk in an effort to throw him off. But this was where Johnny felt power surge through his limbs and he sped up until her was mere feet away from his quarry.

The man looked behind him and when he saw Johnny almost within arm's distance he panicked and swerved into a nearby alley.

' _The alley is dead end. Subdue him. Don't kill him.'_ Johnny laughed breathlessly as he slowed his run to a jog and cracked his knuckles.

' _Love it when ya talk sweet to me Angel.'_ He teased and advanced on the suspect who by now had realized that he was trapped and was glaring at him, fists raised at the ready.

"Big mistake." He chuckled and like lightning his fist shot out and slammed into the man's face like a hammer. His entire body bounced from the force of the shot and he stumbled backwards in an attempt to keep his balance. His sunglasses, however, did not survive the hit and fell onto the pavement, a shattered mess.

The man lunged forward and threw a couple of quick punches that Johnny deftly avoided, chuckling to himself the whole time. The suspect looked at him in confusion but Johnny just shrugged and gave him a crooked, cocky grin. He landed a solid kick to the man's knees, sending him stumbling back once more, this time with a pronounced limp.

"Ya kna what? I'm gettin' bored. And I wouldn't wanna miss the cake at the reception." He lunged forward and grabbed the man by his jacket, forcing him into a bent over position from which he kneed him in the gut before pulling him back up and battering him with barrage of punches. He delivered one last upper cut to his opponent before the man fell back onto the pavement with a solid thump.

Johnny blew on his fists like an old time cowboy and smirked at no one in particular. He pulled a zip tie out of his pocket and bound his unconscious opponent. He then proceeded to dust himself off as he dragged the suspect to the mouth of the alley. He looked around at the street where the civilians were being cleared out and a clean up team was arriving to pick up the suspect.

Johnny strolled happily down the street, searching casually for an available cab to the reception.

"Now that's what I call a wedding."


End file.
